LONDON: Italy ensured qualification for the Nations League quarter-finals with a victory over Belgium on Thursday that also guaranteed France a place in the last-eight despite a lacklustre display against Israel as England got their revenge on Greece ahead of the imminent arrival of Thomas Tuchel as coach.

France drew 0-0 with Israel in a match requiring a high-security operation in and around Paris, a week after violence erupted in Amsterdam in connection with Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv’s visit for a Europa League match. Around 150 Israel supporters were among a crowd of 16,611 inside the 80,000-capacity Stade de France and there was a brief scuffle between some fans at one point in the first half.

The draw was enough to secure France a top-two finish in their group along with Italy, who beat Belgium 1-0 away thanks to Sandro Tonali’s 11th-minute goal. They advance to the quarter-finals in March, from which the lineup of the Final Four mini-tournament in June will be determined. Germany and Spain were the first two nations to qualify for the quarter-finals in October.

England won 3-0 in Athens thanks to strikes by Ollie Watkins and debutant Curtis Jones, either side of an own-goal, and that made amends for a humbling first loss to Greece last month at Wembley Stadium. England captain Harry Kane was left out of the team, with Watkins preferred up front, and came on as a second-half substitute.

England have one more match under interim coach Lee Carsley before Tuchel begins his tenure in January as the country’s latest foreign-born manager.

Prolific Manchester City striker Erling Haaland was again among the scorers for Norway in their 4-1 win in Slovenia.

Football took a back seat to security for the France-Israel match at the Stade de France, with Paris authorities having been on high alert after last week’s incidents in Amsterdam where assaults on Maccabi fans sparked outrage and were widely condemned as antisemitic.

Some 4,000 police officers and security staff were deployed in and around the Stade de France, and the vast number of empty seats made for an eerie atmosphere at a match attended by French President Emmanuel Macron.

Stewards had to intervene at one point to stop fans of both nations from clashing in the stands. Around 100 Israeli fans attended the match despite calls from Israeli authorities to stay away.

Israel’s national anthem was whistled by some fans and Israel players were jeered at times when they got the ball, but the visitors held firm for their first point in qualifying against a France team again lacking a cutting edge without Kylian Mbappe.

Israel goalkeeper Daniel Peretz saved well from Randal Kolo Muani, Warren Zaïre-Emery and Christopher Nkunku, while veteran midfielder N’Golo Kante — France’s captain in the ongoing absence of Mbappe — dragged a shot wide.

“Anger. Frustration,” said France fullback Jules Kounde when asked his immediate reaction by French broadcaster TF1. “The only good point from tonight is that qualification is assured.”

Italy moved three points clear of France atop Group 2 in League A ahead of the teams’ meeting in Milan on Sunday that will determine their finishing positions.

The visitors dominated the early stages in Brussels and scored after 11 minutes. A cross from fullback Giovanni Di Lorenzo deflected into the path of Sandro Tonali for a tap in.

Belgian centre back Wout Faes hit a post with a second-half header.

“We showed again that we give it a go and don’t just sit back in matches, that’s the big change,” Tonali told RAI.

Belgium stayed in third place, three points ahead Israel. They meet on neutral territory in Hungary on Sunday, with Israel in the relegation spot and Belgium currently in line to face a two-legged promotion-relegation playoff with a runner-up from second-tier League B — potentially England or Greece.

Carsley, forced into a string of changes by a flurry of withdrawals from his last England squad, sprung a surprise in Athens by dropping Kane.

Watkins took seven minutes to justify Carsley’s decision. Noni Madueke raced onto a Jude Bellingham pass and crossed for Watkins to stab home.

As in their win at Wembley in October, the Greeks caused England’s inexperienced defence problems in the Group B2 clash.

After 30 minutes, right back Kostas Tsimikas ran into space in the box.

Everton’s Jordan Pickford hurled himself to his right to turn away a piledriver from the Liverpool man.

England started the second half in control. Rico Lewis forced a save from Odysseas Vlachodimos and Bellingham hit a post with a header before Fotis Ioannidis drew another diving save from Pickford.

Kane came on but another England talisman, Bellingham, forced the goal that put England top of the group after 78 minutes. His shot struck the post, rebounded into the back of airborne Vlachodimos and flew in.

Jones’ deft back-flick five minutes later clinched the win on the Liverpool midfielder’s senior debut.

England and Greece both have 12 points with one game to go but England’s goal difference is three better.

“We’re moving in the right direction,” Carsley told ITV. “We have a lot of outstanding talent.”

The top two in B3 are also separated on goal difference as leaders Austria and pursuers Norway both won.

Austria’s Christoph Baumgartner and Michael Gregoritsch scored in the first 25 minutes in Almaty by which time Kazakhstan were down to ten men.

Austria saw out a 2-0 win and lead the pool on goal difference from Norway who won in Slovenia with Haaland moving onto 19 goals for the season for club and country this season.

Published in Dawn, November 16th, 2024